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Monday, 30 July 2012

The last couple of summers we have missed it but this year we were back from sunnier climes just in time for both heavy rain and Coope’s Dozen – my 2009 account has some of the history and Pauline’s 2012 account has photos of the group she was with. After the heavy showers finished we gathered for a prolonged and not entirely successful (in every case) photo shoot.

Most of the main characters appear in here – the exception being Elaine Latham who would meet us after 9 miles with cake and coffee and other sustenance. John Swift (in yellow with his back to camera) helped Elaine and then met us again just before the 12th of the 12 summits. This a very sociable group run and as has been the case in recent years, two groups set off and the membership of the second group varied from summit to summit as runners joined and left.

Mark and (probably) Josie approaching Noon Hill

Tony, Mark, Josie and Paul approaching Rivington Pike

Looking south east from Old Adam

Paul, Mark, Josie and Mark approaching Great Hill with Winter Hill in the distance

By and large the route is pretty well established although in the winter I had a look at alternative way on to Counting Hill and having found it in the dark with Tony, Tom and Albert who were less than completely convinced it was an improvement I was fairly happy about being able to find it again. Only Albert knew where we were going when we avoided the usual, desperately overgrown, bee-line for the wall over Counting Hill so there were the usual groans about “we usually go up there” but this line avoids the bracken entirely, following a small, barely discernable trod to the main path over Counting Hill and is a complete delight, a huge improvement.

All this good will and kudos was thrown away when Albert and I took an awful line to Old Adam but Albert’s route off Sugar Loaf was better than anyone else expected so I think if we take the normal route to Old Adam then, between us, we will have improved a well established route – next year will tell, if we remember.

Western flank of Great Hill

Albert, Tony, Paul, Josie, Tom and Mark with only Mark Salmon missing on Healey Nab the final summit

Saturday, 28 July 2012

A bit of a cheat, really, but it is too hot to walk up hills of any size this week in Dubrovnik. Temperatures are in the mid 30s and there is no shade on the way up Mount Srd and so we join the rest of the tourists in the queue for the cable car. At 1355 feet it was never going to be a “big tick” although there is an element of irony here because, a year ago in Turkey, I wasn’t impressed by Peak Baggers who claim “drive up” summits

– ah, well

Small cross on the summit

There is a much larger, newer, cross just below the summit which replaced the one destroyed at the start of the siege of Dubrovnik during the Homeland war in 1991.

Looking inland

The real point of reaching the summit of Mount Srd, by whatever means, is the view of Dubrovnik it provides. Mid summer probably isn’t the best time because of the ever-present haze.

Looking north over the Dubrovnik and its resorts

Dubrovnik Old Town and the island of Lokrum

Dubrovnik Old Town

Dubrovnik is an entrancing, magical place – the resorts are like any other resorts on this and many other coasts but the old town and its medieval building, forts and walls is a special place thoroughly deserving its UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Sunday, 15 July 2012

9022 feet of climbing in 21.1 miles (2750m, 34km) is a tough day out even when you are fully fit and prepared and when that isn’t quite the case then it could be a very tough day, indeed. After a poor winter’s training and not enough on big hills I have struggled in Lakeland races and have the results to prove it so I could only anticipate a real struggle towards the end.

Great Gable

Start Field (i)

Start Field (ii)

Towards Whin Rigg with low cloud drifting through

Climbing out of Greendale (i)

Climbing out of Greendale (ii)

Scoat Tarn

Above Mosedale

Ennerdale – looking down to Black Sail Hostel

Back towards Ennerdale

Towards Great Gable

Great Gable

Wasdale

By Great Gable I started to struggle a bit but managed to stay just ahead of last year’s time reaching the summit over a minute quicker but I lost a couple of minutes by Esk Hause Shelter and continued to lose a little time from there to the finish. I ended up within 4 minutes of my 2011 time and in comparison with my comparative times at “Teenager with Altitude” and the “Old County Tops” it is a huge improvement. Although slipping just beyond 6 hours is slightly disappointing, there is always next year.

Wednesday, 11 July 2012

My Dad is staying with us for a few days and next weekend is the Wasdale fell race both of which meant rethinking this week’s running. Only early mornings and only at the start of the week – to allow enough rest before next Saturday – which really means running from home and, to get some climbing, running up Winter Hill and back. Four days doing that gave me 54.5 miles, just short of 6000 feet of climbing and 3 days rest. Two days were run in very low cloud and on one of these two days it rained but the other two days were bright and sunny – not bad for this summer.

Finger Post with the Two Lads in the distance (the “finger” is now missing, perhaps this is the last photo of it)

Some of the masts and a post

Belmont Village & Reservoir

Old Station Park – Horwich

Looking at old maps of Horwich on Friday night prompted Dad to ask what happened to Horwich Station after it closed. I realised then that I had no idea and I was still wondering as I ran through Horwich the following morning – I was still wondering when I ran passed the entrance to a park and the iron arch caught my attention and answered the question.

Sunday, 1 July 2012

Setting off from Great Langdale to meet Brian somewhere between High Raise and Great End looked straightforward, on paper and in good conditions. In the difficult conditions he had endured through the night I began to wonder if we would be able to find him at all while we climbed up into the clag below Bowfell.

One of many full becks

Great Langdale from just below the cloud base

Had Brian been on schedule we would have met him around Rossett Pike but there was no sign of Brian or anyone else making their way from High Raise and so, either he was so far behind that he had retired or he was ahead of his schedule. Hoping it was the latter we carried on to Esk Hause and turned into the route, ascending Esk Pike. Not many minutes later, when we could see nothing, we could hear voices above us and they were getting closer. Three figures materialised soon after - Brian and his two pacers. Brief introductions and we joined the group to go over Great End to Sty Head Pass.

Brian (furthest from camera) nearing Great End summit

Summit approach and the details are recorded

Direct descent down The Nose

The Stretcher Box and support crew are down there somewhere

Time for food and drink

More food!

A little over half an hour ahead of his schedule Brian arrived and departed (just) before his support arrived. An even briefer exchange of supplies part way up Great Gable took place and we watched Brian climb strongly into the mist. I don’t know if he finished within his allowed 18 hours but all the indications are that he would have.